To What Extent Can the BP Brand Recover?

by Scott Seroka. Posted 2 months, 3 weeks ago at 09:52. 0 comments

This week there is a poll on adage.com asking people if they think there is anything BP can do to salvage its brand.

I believe there is, but the bigger question is, do the leaders of BP know which steps they need to take?

Most recently we’ve witnessed Toyota and Tiger Woods salvage their brands rather well, all things considered. If we go back a little further in time, Tylenol enjoyed a complete recovery years after seven Chicago-area residents died from taking cyanide-contaminated Extra-Strength Tylenol. The Firestone brand recovered quite well after 174 fatalities and more than 700 injuries from alleged tread separation problems. In fact, both Tylenol and Firestone are near the top in their respective brand categories today.

The BP oil catastrophe is devastating, and the effects will be felt for many years to come. No one knows for certain that negligence played a role in this accident and, if it did, to what extent. But whatever the case may be, the extent to which BP can salvage its brand will be directly correlated to the actions of its leaders from this moment forward.

This incident reminds us why we need to have a crisis communications plan ready to pull out of our pockets at any time. This series of events teaches us that worst-case scenarios are not limited to our imaginations.

In other words, who could have imagined June 10 on April 19?